Cat caught in a trap

[lankeela]

My friend's cat at is at present at the vets having a back leg amputated. She has been caught in a trap, and managed to drag herself halfway home across a field.

We are all so angry about this, but apparently these vicious implements are perfectly legal as they are fen traps and not gin traps, which were outlawed years ago.

They are supposed to be placed in a covered area and secured, and checked every 24 hours, to make sure bigger animals are not caught in them - well that worked then (not).

I was going to post this as a warning, but unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to prevent them being used, although matey who set it is going to find himself with one hell of a vet's bill. We do know who it is, he admitted it was one of his when confronted with the by now empty trap, and said 'where did you find that, I left it behind my shed to catch the rats'. Worrying thing is that this tw*t has Jack Russells running about his yard, and grandkids who visit and play in the garden.

Just hope Holly manages to adapt to life on three legs. One life down - eight to go!

[pussnboots]

So sorry for your friends cat. There is a cat with 3 legs near me and it is just fine, they seem to adapt very quickly. Good luck to your friends cat xx

[lankeela]

Thank you. Although she is a 'country cat' she is very much an indoor puss, and not usually one to roam. I am sure she will do just fine, lazing around and being waited on hand and foot.

[cruella]

Oh. I felt heartbroken when I read your post.
I hope the cat is okay after her op. I am sure she will adapt really soon as animals are more adaptable than humans.
Hopt that person can live with himself. I know I couldn't.
Keep us posted on the cat's progress.

[garner]

It makes the blood boil how terrible for the poor cat not to mention other poor animals which get caught in them.Lankeela can you tell me the difference between a fen trap and a gin trap please have not got a lot of knowledge on these cruel things.

[puddycat]

I'm so sorry to hear about your friends cat. On the positive side I'm sure Holly will soon adapt.
My cat lost her back leg several years ago and I was really worried about her adapting to life on just the three legs but she's doing great. She runs around like crazy and can outrace her fully intact (leg-wise at least!) brother.

Have to tell you, although it wasn't funny at the time: When she first lost the leg I had to take her back to the vets regularly for check ups. At her first return visit the nurse took her out to weigh her. She came back into the treatment room, big smile on her face, saying, " You'll be pleased to know she's lost some weight." All I could think of to respond with was " Is she at her ideal weight yet or shall we lop off another leg!" I think I may have upset the nurse but I bet she thought long and hard before breaking that sort of news again!!!

Tell your friend I'm sure Holly will be fine. LEt us know how she gets on.
Take care, Pud xx.

[lankeela]

Thanks folks, will keep you posted.

Some info here:

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/andyspatch/gintraps .htm

[RATTER15]

Fenn traps are perfectly legal and are usually humane if set correctly however few people know how to set them correctly and if set incorrectly they can be a savage trap, not as bad as the Gin but can still be lethal

I have been trained to use them and have used them in the past with no problem. A trap that catches anything other than the target species is set incorrectly!!

[paddywak]

My nephews' cat lost a leg after being trapped in a snare for some days., when he was about 2yrs old. He is now nearly 10 and to see him move you woldn't know he'd only three legs so dont worry too much I'm sure holly will soon adapt. Mean while make the the a***hole who set the trap suffer,I'm a dog man myself but I hate to see any animal suffer needlessly

[lankeela]

Update - got the name wrong, its Berry, not Holly (close, but no cigar!). She is home from the vets, and is in a large dog cage in the kitchen with a litter tray and vetbed. She is purring her head off and rubbing her head against the cage when anyone makes a fuss of her. The leg had to be amputated, apparently not because of the actual injury, but because they could not get rid of the maggots that had become infested in the flesh! They reckon she had only been in there for less than 12 hours, and this was enough time for the wound to attract flies and lay the eggs, and in the warm weather they have hatched out. Gross or what.

However she seems fine in herself, and that only leaves me to astound you all with the cost - �799.43. Guess who will be getting a visit from my friends father with the bill!

[garner]

Oh lankeela Im so pleased that all has gone well for the poor kitty.Goodness me the vets charges are out of this world,but if needs must we pay it for our loved ones.

[lankeela]

Latest news - Berry had not been using her litter tray in the pen, so was allowed out today, and she went into the lobby where one of the dogs sleeps, and she peed on his bed!
Friends mum was so relieved she had peed that she did not worry about it being on the dogs bed.

She managed to walk ok, although it looks as though her brain is still telling her she has four legs.

She is eating well and still purring.

[iheartruby]

Thankfully a happy ending - glad puss is ok. She'll no doubt be the boss again in no time!
Needless to say I am furious that this has happened to Berry - when they go round with the bill, can they take the trap and accidentally drop it onto his goolies? It's only fair, really.... one good turn deserves another.....

[pussnboots]

Why are vets so expensive. I know we should all have insurance,but sometimes I think that us pet owners are taken advantage of ,pet treatment is more expensive than human treatment.

[lankeela]

The family concerned have four dogs and at least five or six cats, and the cost of insurance would be prohibitive. Fortunately incidents such as this are very rare, and the cost of most vet visits is not quite so astronomical.

Strange though how vets always ask whether the animal is insured - what possible difference could it make to the treatment needed (unless of course they bump it up even more for insured animals!!!). Vets should be made to publish their prices (I have only ever known one vet to have a list of prices hanging in the waiting room). Maybe they think people would not have things done if they knew how much it was going to cost. Either that or they should give an 'all in' price for a treatment or operation, so people know where they stand. The bill was itemised, and even included the sundries like rubber aprons and gloves.